This is a review based on my initial impressions and first few rides. I have been riding and wrenching bikes since 1989, starting with a Panasonic DX-2000 ("Steel is real!").

First - on the company. I contacted Vilano Bikes by email and I received replies within 24 hours. If Vilano needed more time to get back to me, they gave me a promise date and met it each time. With that said, I rate their customer service as top notch. A+ all around! Separately, I will ding them for not having a link to the Gravel on their website. If you search for it using the search bar at the top of their website then you will find it. However, the web page is rather lacking. There are no specifications, no parts lists, and no geometry tables. I asked for a parts list and was promptly given one ... but it really should be on their website.

Second - on the bike. With the parts lists in hand, I totally understood what I could be getting. This was not going to be a top shelf Trek, Cannondale, or Salsa. The components are on the low-low end of the spectrum. That means they may be heavier, somewhat clunkier, and carry less prestige. Rather than being made from cast or machined aluminum, you might get stamped steel. Instead of smooth shifting Shimano, you will get stiff working MicroShift. Don't expect Deore XTR here. You top out at Tourney. I understand that may sound like a ding and dent on the bike, it's actually too terrible. The components are perfectly adequate to immediately start riding. They won't be holding you back as much as you think. Just ride and don't think about it.

Now I want to point out some quality exceptions here regarding the wheels. First, the wheels are so low end that they are "out of true" and "out of round". Thank goodness I don't depend on the rim for braking! I mean, they are Campbell soup lumpy! The front wheel is so "out of round" (and probably slightly undersized) that the front tire blew off the rim while riding! Tire pressure was a paltry 55 PSI. Yes, I did ensure the tire was properly mounted. I immediately replaced both tires with super tight fitting folding 700x35 Panaracer Pacela tires. Second, the rear wheel uses a 7-speed freewheel. If you are thinking of upgrade to an 8+ speed cassette then you will need a new rear wheel. In my case I will be doing a 650B conversion so I'm getting new wheels no matter what. If you intend to keep the wheels then keep that in your mind. Also keep in mind that hubs which take freewheels are usually not as strong as hubs that take cassettes.

The water bottle cage screws on the seat tube stick into the seat tube so much that they prevent the seat post from going lower than 3.5" above the seat post clamp. So, if you're shorter than 5'6" and need that seat to be lower then you will need either a shorter post or you will need to cut the one it comes with. Cutting is not uncommon - just undesirable. Leave at least 4" of seat post inside the seat tube. And remember, you can't "uncut" something. So, measure twice and cut once.

The frame sits very, very high. I am 5'6" and have 30" - 31" inseam. The top tube of the 49cm frame uncomfortably bumps into my crotch. Keep that in mind if you are shorter and are used to picking out 48cm - 50cm frames. I suppose this is the compromise for having massive - and I mean **massive** - tire clearance around the frame and fork.

Finally, I did not like the position of the brake/shift levers. They were mounted very low on the handlebars. So low, in fact, that I had to tilt the bar way, way back to reach the hoods just to get started. I removed all the handlebar tape and moved the levers higher up on the handlebars. This allowed me to tilt the bars back down while still comfortably reaching the hoods. Besides, this gave me a chance to wrap some cool bright cork tape on the bars.

Third - on delivery and assembly. The bike arrived partially disassembled (partially assembled?) and was easy for me to put together. Maybe I've done this too many times. Still, if you even have a slight idea of what goes where then you should be able to finalize assembly. All you need is a 4mm, a 5mm, and a 6mm Allen wrench key. My only gripe here was how much the fork was preloaded against the headset. Yikes, someone in China really cranked down that stem cap! That was an easy fix. Otherwise, nothing arrived damaged, scratched, or dinged. There was plenty of packing material to keep everything safe and sound.

Finally - in conclusion. If you are looking for this bike to be the end-all and be-all then you may be a little disappointed depending on your expectations. Newcomers will be thrilled with the prospect of riding on gravel roads and being out in the wild. Seasoned riders may be biting their tongue and grimacing. However, as a platform to start with and to upgrade and customize over time, this is a good value and a good ride. It won't take much to make this into a great value and a great ride.

I give the bike four stars here because I knew what I was potentially getting into and customer service is excellent. Hopefully Vilano will make a Gravel 2.0 whose rear wheel will have a freehub. Can we hope? Always!

I've had this bike for about two weeks. I paid $250 for it (the list price is $400) so I think I got a good deal. I would probably give 3 stars if I had paid full price. I don't consider myself to be an avid cyclist nor especially knowledgeable about them, but I do ride ~20-30 miles per week.

The bike came broken, with a deformed bearing ring in the fork assembly. See picture. I contacted support and they were very responsive to mail me a replacement part.

I ride this to work, which is a 4-5 mile ride each way on a mostly flat, mildly hilly river trail. I found the bike to be supremely uncomfortable the first few times, but it has grown on me and now I think it's good except for the handlebars. This is the first bike I have owned with drop bars, and I'm not sure if I'm just not used to the style, but I find them to be quite uncomfortable. Maybe I just need to play with the angle some more. The bike also has no front suspension, so you will feel every bump if your roads are not in pristine condition. It is a few pounds lighter than any of my previous bikes (all mountain bikes) and feels like it rides faster, too.

The warranty instructions are unclear. The box and website say that your warranty is void if you assemble the bike yourself, but it comes with setup instructions and a manual that say it is highly recommended to have a professional assemble it, but that you may DIY if you desire. I assembled it myself and had my local bike shop do a tune-up and safety check.

Overall, I am satisfied with the purchase. Could the bike be better, sure. However, I feel like you would only see noticeable differences once you get into the ~$800 range, so for what I paid for it, I think it is a good deal.

Excelente

Omg I'm a first time road bike rider and I did 21 miles on this beauty. Love it. Buy it. Now.

Well, just my experience here.
Cons- Bike cables show some signs of fraying cable ends not placed on properly. Some cables cut too long some too short. Definitely give everything a once over cause shipping/fast paced builds something don't work out. Warrenty site was a endlessly not handling information.
Pros- Well price is in the decent range to fix most minor issues ie new end cables, couple bike cables, and different pedals. Frame is decent didn't see any cracked welds. Price is as i said decent enough to justify a few changes to the build just be aware and should be ok.
So this is a edit and initial vs few days later they gained a star for customer support. Be braced for a email a day don't call. Take photos of issues speeds up process. They will harp on professional bike builder or their videos. Will do one more edit when i get the other parts.. Requested cables and my personal request of handlebar wrap.